64Cu-DOTATATE PET/MRI for detection of activated macrophages in carotid atherosclerotic plaques: studies in patients undergoing endarterectomy

Sune Folke Pedersen, Benjamin Vikjær Sandholt, Sune Høgild Keller, Adam Espe Hansen, Andreas Ettrup Clemmensen, Henrik Sillesen, Liselotte Højgaard, Rasmus Sejersten Ripa, Andreas Kjær

65 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective-A feature of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques of the carotid artery is high activity and abundance of lesion macrophages. There is consensus that this is of importance for plaque vulnerability, which may lead to clinical events, such as stroke and transient ischemic attack. We used positron emission tomography (PET) and the novel PET ligand [64Cu] [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N⌄-tetraacetic acid]-d-Phe1,Tyr3-octreotate (64Cu-DOTATATE) to specifically target macrophages via the somatostatin receptor subtype-2 in vivo. Approach and Results-Ten patients underwent simultaneous PET/MRI to measure 64Cu-DOTATATE uptake in carotid artery plaques before carotid endarterectomy. 64Cu-DOTATATE uptake was significantly higher in symptomatic plaque versus the contralateral carotid artery (P<0.001). Subsequently, a total of 62 plaque segments were assessed for gene expression of selected markers of plaque vulnerability using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. These results were compared with in vivo 64Cu-DOTATATE uptake calculated as the mean standardized uptake value. Univariate analysis of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and PET showed that cluster of differentiation 163 (CD163) and CD68 gene expression correlated significantly but weakly with mean standardized uptake value in scans performed 85 minutes post injection (P<0.001 and P=0.015, respectively). Subsequent multivariate analysis showed that CD163 correlated independently with 64Cu-DOTATATE uptake (P=0.031) whereas CD68 did not contribute significantly to the final model. Conclusions-The novel PET tracer 64Cu-DOTATATE accumulates in atherosclerotic plaques of the carotid artery. CD163 gene expression correlated independently with 64Cu-DOTATATE uptake measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the final multivariate model, indicating that 64Cu-DOTATATE PET is detecting alternatively activated macrophages. This association could potentially improve noninvasive identification and characterization of vulnerable plaques.

Original languageEnglish
JournalArteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
Volume35
Issue number7
Pages (from-to)1696-1703
Number of pages8
ISSN1079-5642
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Jul 2015

Keywords

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic
  • Carotid Stenosis
  • Copper Radioisotopes
  • Endarterectomy, Carotid
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Macrophages
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Octreotide
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Receptors, Cell Surface

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